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No, but seriously, they can't die. They are cheap to produce, easily made cross-platform, have a potentially much broader audience than "core" games...It's just that the full potential of platforms like the Nintendo DS hasn't been used for classical adventure games, but rather more "inventive" twists on the genre.

Mark my words, you'll be playing adventure games on your favourite social media (TM) platform with your favourite portable gaming and communication device (TM) pretty soon.

I have laid awake some nights, conjuring wondrous images of making my own DS adventure games and rejoicing at the true wonder of the notion. Then becoming a bit sad because it's a difficult goal to realize.

[quote author = blueskirt]
The escapist posted that article on the subject:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_284/8425-Give-Me-An-Axe-Ive-Had-Enough-Of-This-Puzzle
[/quote]

Good read, that! (Except the Professor Layton games have made me love puzzle puzzles)

Sad? I spent much of this thread chuckling.

But then, I used to get called (and still do, occasionally) ThreeOhFour by people (including my Maths teacher ), which is a name chosen for me.

Ah, I played the demo of this a while ago and it is most wondrous.

Thanks for reminding me about it!

Yep, I played it yesterday, it is delightfully charming (if a little simple).

This seems to be an attempt at a Stereoscopic version of AGS screenshots. I believe the basic premise is to take two very similar pictures whose only difference is a slight offset in the camera's position and combine the two so that one tricks one's eyes into seeing a 3d image. My guess is that it is quite similar to how we perceive 3d environments even though our eyes are only capable of processing 2d images by combining the offset images from both of our eyes.

Sometimes it takes a while to trick your eyes into perceiving the images correctly, however in this case I wasn't able to get the 3d illusion from the images presented. This may mean nothing, however, as I've also been unable to correctly perceive the illusion in various examples presented in illusion books and the like.

So far, the most effective example of the effect that I have encountered of this illusion has been in the album booklet for the Tool album 10,000 Days (More info on this booklet can be found in the article there). The effect, when executed well, is really rather impressive.

Also you have an unnaturally strong fondness for all things Christmas, Ponch 

Sounds like you want something like:

Code: ags

function iplug_UseInv()
{
  if (player.ActiveInventory == iscrew && player.HasInventory(iwire))
  {
    Display("You use the screwdriver to attach the wire to the plug"); 
    cChris.LoseInventory(iwire);
    cChris.LoseInventory(iplug);
    cChris.LoseInventory(iscrew);
    cChris.AddInventory(iplugwire);
    Display("You now have a plug with some electrical wire attached.");
  }
}

Haha I know, right? Still makes me giggle when I look at the original graphics 

The reason it took so long to convert the game was because Dan was building the conversion process as he was converting the game. Every time he adds something into XAGE to convert a function from one game, it means that this function is in for all games - he was building it to be a more automated process so that you could simply click a button and have your game converted for you, basically.

Not sure how far he has gotten with it - the last source code he took of mine was a bit more complex, and required the adding of support for stuff like arrays and storing/seeking time positions in sound files, which obviously means that it is probably more difficult to convert than a simple, basic adventure game with dialog and inventory puzzles only. If you're really interested, why not drop him a line?

Haha yeah, Braid was an entry. It look a *lot* different back then 

Some cool ideas and games have developed from this competition, and it has been running for ages

I agree, we do pretty well, really! I find lots of newer adventure games as enjoyable as the old ones, so no real complaints from me!

Every time I go back and play older games I often realize how much I prefer modern releases anyway (if past 10 years counts as "modern"  )

I agree, I feel a lot more comfortable with InCreator's backgrounds than mixing my really pixelly stuff with Pepe's high res stuff. Thanks for the kind words, ProgZ, it was definitely a bit intimidating stepping into the animation role after your work on Convergence. I still stand by this post.

I recall someone porting a game (Ben?) online with microsoft silverlight. Afaik, you could play those games with anything, though I guess that'd be through the net, not really on mac...

It was Clarvalon who did it with one of my games and XAGE in a wondrous union of software: http://clarvalon.blogspot.com/2010/03/xage-awakener-live.html

This, however, was a very simple game in terms of code and designed specifically as a XAGE port guinea pig, so more complex projects are probably less likely candidates.

The market has drastically changed... adventure games were in a time of peoople who were more of a sophisticated class... now everyone has an x box its much more lax...

I think this could probably be re-written as "Adventure games were popular in a time when people weren't so easily distracted, games were newer and we were much more willing to overlook their shortcomings because we hadn't been shown that there's a friendlier way of doing things. Adventure games were popular in a time when 2D reigned supreme because 3D hadn't been realized to an extent where it could create vivid worlds to set a game in, thus the painted backdrop was the most effective way of creating beautiful locations. Adventure games were popular in a world without the internet, and things like multiplayer and easily accessible solutions to puzzles that spoil the "gameplay" portion of the genre."

It's true that people aren't always doing new things when they release a game, but the same has almost always been true to some extent. Look how many Doom clones and Command and Conquer clones were being made back in the 90s. Every now and then someone is brave enough to propose a game like Planescape: Torment to a publisher and that publisher is foolish enough to give them money and we get an amazing game, but it's rare that any of these sell huge numbers.They might be cult classics still in 10 years time, but they don't keep publishers in business.

I guess what I am saying is: Go and play Planescape: Torment.

The number 1984 in Hope is a reference to a novel called 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' by George Orwell. Beckett was most definitely an influence for Steve when he was doing the dialogue for Eternally Us - particularly the play 'Play'. Thanks for the nice words

Back on topic, perhaps you should add the Blackwell games to your list (and any other downloadable only ones) so as to avoid suggestions of games that you've already purchased and played.

If you've yet to try them, some to consider would be Machinarium, So Blonde, Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy, Insecticide and The Whispered World, I guess.

The presence of Zack & Wiki indicates your ownership of a Wii, in which case I'd suggest having a look at Another Code: R - A Journey Into Lost Memories (A little slow and simple, but I liked it).

Edit: Also, try some commercial AGS stuff. For the fan of comedic adventures there is Time Gentlemen Please (And Ben There, Dan That! is free; I really liked both of thse games), Super Jazz Man (which I really liked despite the fact that it is kinda unknown these days) and Puzzlebots, for the fan of drama there are the Blackwell games and if you want horror, perhaps try Downfall. I'm pretty sure they all have demos as well!

Money's a good reason.

Would Telltale have been anywhere near as successful if they'd use an original IP rather than the Sam and Max/Strongbad/Monkey Island/Wallace & Gromit ones? Seems most unlikely.

Putting in new, exciting things to the genre often divides player's opinions a lot more strongly as well (look at Insecticide). It's easy to sit here and go "Boo nothing is new anymore " but at the end of the day, games that dare to be different often fail to sell serious numbers.

Also, the adventure game genre is hardly dead.

Well, I'm psyched!  I was under the impression that it was going to be a three game trilogy!

As opposed to a four game trilogy?  

I did eyebrow shaving for halloween and they're almost back to normal now.

So that's like... a month?

I'd question this bit:

Code: ags

  cDave.ChangeRoom(1, 300, 395);
  cDave.Walk (165, 250);

I'd suggest trying cDave.Walk(165, 250, eBlock);

Depending on walkable areas, you might also need to do  cDave.Walk(165, 250, eBlock, eAnyWhere);